APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING IMAGES, PARTICULARLY FOR DENTAL RADIOLOGY

Abstract: An apparatus for acquiring images, particularly for dental radiology, characterised by comprising: a container (2) of dimensions suitable for its introduction into the oral cavity of a patient and having a radiotransparent wall (4), to the inner surface of which there is applied a scintillator (6) which converts the incident X-rays into visible radiation; a tubular conduit (14) extending outwards from the oral cavity from a container wall (12) arranged at an angle to said radiotransparent wall (4); means (10) for receiving the visible radiation formed within said scintillator (6) and for conveying it into the tubular conduit (14) parallel to its axis; an optical system (20) housed within that tubular conduit portion (14) close to said container (2); and a telecamera (26) housed within that tubular conduit portion (16) distant from said container.

Description: .APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING IMAGES, PARTICULARLY FOR DENTAL RADIOLOGY This invention relates to an apparatus for acquiring images, particularly for dental radiology. Apparatus used in dental radiology are known for acquiring images which are then processed, displayed and possibly memorized for subsequent use. A known apparatus is described in EP-B1-0129451. It comprises an intraoral container with a radiotransparent wall, on the inner surface of which there is applied a scintillator consisting of a layer of rare earths which transform the radiological image, formed when an X-ray beam strikes a structure to be radiographed interposed between ah X-ray source and said container, into an optical image which is then fed via a converging bundle of optical fibres onto a CCD sensor facing said scintillator. The purpose of this CCD sensor, which is controlled by an electronic circuit also housed in the container, is to convert the optical image into an electronic signal which can be transferred to the outside of the container for its subsequent use. A drawback of this arrangement is that the CCD sensor and its electronic control circuit, housed in the intraoral container, are sensitive to the X-rays passing through the radiotransparent wall of said container, because of which suitable shielding means have to be provided making the construction of the container considerably complicated and costly. A further drawback of this known arrangement is that the CCD sensor and its electronic control circuit in practice constitute a telecamera constrained to this exclusive use, with evident limitation in its applications. EP-A1-0364863 describes another known apparatus of this type. It comprises a container similar to the preceding, a scintillator, a CCD sensor and an electronic control circuit for the CCD sensor. This arrangement differs from the preceding essentially by the different method of converging onto the CCD sensor the optical image which forms on the scintillator. In this respect, this arrangement uses a mirror facing the scintillator and arranged to reflect the optical image onto a lens system which causes the image to converge onto a CCD sensor. Hence again in this case shielding means for the CCD sensor and the relative electronic control circuit must be provided within the container and in addition both the CCD sensor and its electronic control circuit are constrained to this specific use. According to the invention the problem is solved through an apparatus for acquiring images, particularly for dental radiology as claimed in claim 1. A preferred embodiment of the present invention and a modification thereof are described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partly sectional schematic side view of the apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is in greater detail the enlarged particular of figure 1 referring to the coupling between the telecamera and the optical system; Figure 3 shows it according the enlarged transverse section III-III of figure 2, and Figure 4 is a partial view of a modification thereof in the direction IV-IV of Figure 1. As can be seen from the figures, the apparatus according to the invention comprises a container 2 of dimensions suitable for its comfortable introduction into the oral cavity of a patient. A wall 4 of this container 2 consists of a radiotransparent screen internally coated with a rare earth layer 6. That wall 8 of the container 2 facing the wall 4 is inclined to this latter by about 40°, and carries a mirror 10 applied to its inner face. That wall 12 adjacent to the wall 4 and opposite the wall 8 comprises a circular aperture, to which there is applied a tubular conduit portion 14 extending into a coaxial sleeve 16 of greater diameter, closed at its end by an axially withdrawable base 18. Into the tubular conduit portion 14 there is inserted an optical system 20 comprising a plurality of lenses contained in a single sleeve 22, which can be inserted axially into the conduit portion in the direction of the container 2 until it reaches a predetermined position defined by an inner circumferential rib 24. A telecamera 26, kept in its seat from the base 18, is inserted into the sleeve 16 into a position coaxially facing the optical system 20, and has its exit cable 28 passing through the base to be connected to an external user, for example a computer 30. The other side walls of the container 2 adjacent to the wall 4 form therewith an acute angle to facilitate the introduction of the container into the oral cavity of a patient. Since the system for acquiring radiological images used in the apparatus according to the invention foresees a mutual positioning of the optical system 20 with respect to the hight-sensitive element 32 (CCD) of the telecamera 26 extremely accurate (±0,01 mm for linear positionings and +4' for angular positionings) and indeed higher than that allowed from tolerances with which the components are provided by the respective manufacturers, the invention also foresees a system for the fine adjustment of such a mutual positioning. So the CCD 32 of the telecamera 26 is mounted on an annular support 34 housed at the inside of the tubular conduit 36 of the telecamera 26, which conduit is in its turn slidably housed at the inside of the sleeve 16, which for this purpose is provided with a reference circumferential flange 38. The connection between the annular support 34 of CCD 32 and the tubular conduit 36 of the telecamera 26 is obtained through three eccentrics 40, angularly spaced apart at 120° (see fig. 4) which enable to place, as it will be better clarified, the surface of the CCD exactly orthogonal to the optical axis of the optical system 20. It has to be pointed out that the position of the conduit 36 of telecamera 24 with respect to the tubular conduit 14 is not concentric, but indeed it is off-line (see fig. 3) and this for the purpose of obtaining a longitudinal portion of said sleeve 16 suitable for the passage of a cable (not shown) and of a duct 42 to be used in the case the telecamera 26 is not used connected with the optical system 20 for the acquisition of radiological images, but is used, as it will be better clarified, with a different termination for endovision provided with a light source and requiring a jet of air for the cooling thereof. The correct axial positioning of the optical system 20 with respect to the telecamera 26, so that the optical image provided by said optical system exactly forms on the surface of the CCD 32, is obtained through the interposition of a reference ring 44 between said optical system 20 and said sleeve 16, outwardly to the reference flange 38. Practically the assembly of the apparatus according to the invention, foresees the following operations: - firstly the optical system 20 is coupled to the container 2 in the correct mutual position, so that the normal to the wall 4, reflected from the mirror 10, is parallel to the optical axis of the optical system. Once this mutual position has been reached, the two parts are glued together, - subsequently, after having determined through a suitable instrument system the distance between the optical system 20 and the telecamera 26 so as to have the formation of the image provided by the optical system exactly on the CCD 32, the reference ring 44 is prepared which determines with the required accuracy that distance, and then it is glued to the sleeve 22 housing the optical system, - separately the angular position of CCD 32 is adjusted by keeping the telecamera inserted onto the sleeve 16 or onto other similar structure having a similar reference flange 38. This adjustment is obtained by acting on the three eccentrics 40 until to put the surface of CCD perfectly parallel to the reference plane of the flange 38, - the telecamera 26, so adjusted, is introduced into the sleeve 16 until it rests to the reference flange 38 and then is blocked in such a position by screwing the threaded base 18. The apparatus of the invention operates in the following manner: after the container 2 has been introduced into the oral cavity of the patient such that the radiotransparent wall 4 rests against the arch region to be radiographed, the radiological apparatus is positioned on the opposite side of the arch to feed an X-ray beam through the arch so that it strikes the rare earth layer 6 to form a luminescent image therein. This image is collected by the mirror 10 and reflected thereby onto the optical system 20, which focuses it onto the CCD of the telecamera 26 where said image is converted into an electrical signal. From here this signal passes through the cable 28 to the computer 30 which reforms the image, displays it and possibly memorizes it. If the arch region to be radiographed is the distal region, the radiotransparent wall 4 of the container 2 can be applied to it practically without any difficulty by virtue of the inclination of this wall to the conduit, which remains outside the oral cavity. To further facilitate the positioning of the container 2 , this can not only be inclined to the axis of the conduit portions 14 and 16 in the plane perpendicular to the plane of the wall 4 but its centre line can also be inclined within this latter plane. If endoscopy of the oral cavity is required rather than radiography of an arch, it is necessary merely to withdraw from the base 18 the assembly comprising the sleeve portion 16 forming the enclosure for the telecamera 26, the conduit portion 14 with the optical system 20 housed within it and the container 2, and replace it with an endovisor, for example of fibre optic type, which in this manner is coupled to the telecamera 26. If instead an optical image for example of part of the oral cavity is required, after withdrawing the sleeve portion 16 from the base 18 as in the preceding case, a lens is coupled to the telecamera enabling images of the oral cavity or its exterior to be taken, which images can be transferred to the computer 30 for their processing, display and memorization. It is apparent that the apparatus according to the invention is substantially more advantageous than traditional apparatus, in that: - having transferred the CCD sensor and its electronic control circuit to outside the container 2, any risk of their damage by X-rays is eliminated, even without any shielding, - constructional costs are substantially reduced, both because of having dispensed with the need for shielding the CCD sensor and its electronic control circuit as stated, and because of the more simple construction of the intraoral container which, because of its size, is difficult to assemble, - any region of the oral cavity can be reached with ease and comfort, both for the dentist and for the patient, and - the telecamera can also be used for other applications for which the traditional art nowadays require separate apparatus, each provided with its own telecamera.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. An apparatus for acquiring images, particularly for dental radiology, characterised by comprising: - a container (2) of dimensions suitable for its introduction into the oral cavity of a patient and having a radiotransparent wall (4) , to the inner surface of which there is applied a scintillator (6) which converts the incident X-rays into visible radiation, - a tubular conduit (14) extending outwards from the oral cavity from a container wall (12) arranged at an angle to said radiotransparent wall (4) , - means (10) for receiving the visible radiation formed within said scintillator (6) and for conveying it into the tubular conduit (14) parallel to its axis, - an optical system (20) housed within that tubular conduit portion (14) close to said container (2) , and - a telecamera (26) housed within that tubular conduit portion (16) distant from said container. 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising within the container a mirror .(10) arranged to reflect onto said optical system (20) the optical image formed on said scintillator (6) . 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising a converging bundle of optical fibres, of which the input termination is housed within said container (2) in a position facing said scintillator (6) and the exit termination is housed within said tubular conduit (14) in a position facing said optical system (20) . 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the axis of the tubular conduit (14) lies at an angle to the surface of the radiotransparent wall (4) . 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the axis of the tubular conduit (14) forms an angle of -between 7° and 15°, and preferably 10°, with the surface of the radiotransparent wall (4) . 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the longitudinal centre line of the radiotransparent wall (4) lies at an angle to the axis of the tubular conduit (14). 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the angle formed between the longitudinal centre line of the radiotransparent wall (4) and the axis of the tubular conduit (14) is between 7° and 15°, and preferably 10°. 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that at least part of the container walls form an acute angle with the radiotransparent wall (4) . 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that that tubular conduit portion (14) housing the optical system (20) has a diameter less than the diameter of the portion (16) housing the telecamera (26) . 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that that tubular conduit portion (16) housing the telecamera (26) is divided into two mutually separable parts, that part rigid with the container (2) being interchangeable with devices to be coupled to the telcamera for performing specific functions. 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterised by comprising an endovisor to be interchangeably coupled to the telecamera (26) . 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterised by comprising a lens to be interchangeably coupled to said telecamera (26) . 13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that that tubular conduit portion (16) housing the telecamera (26) is provided with a reference flange (38) to which the telecamera (26) rests to define the correct position with respect to the optical system (20) . 14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 characterised in that the sensor CCD (32) of the telecamera is mounted on an angular support (34) bound to the tubular conduit (36) of the telecamera through elements (40) for the micrometric adjustment. 15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 characterised in that the annular support (34) is bounded to the tubular conduit (36) of the telecamera (26) through eccentrics angularly spaced apart along the circumference of said conduit. 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 characterised in that it comprises a reference ring (44) placed between the optical system (20) and the reference flange (38) of the sleeve (16) to determine the correct distance between said optical system and the sensor CCD (32) of the telecamera (26) resting against the opposite side of said reference flange (38).

Inventors: SORDINA GIUSEPPE, VILMART ROLAND, SORDINA, GIUSEPPE, VILMART, ROLAND
Applicants: O M S S P A, SORDINA GIUSEPPE, VILMART ROLAND, O.M.S. - S.P.A., SORDINA, GIUSEPPE, VILMART, ROLAND
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A61B6
IPC codes: A61B6, A61B19, G03B17, H04N5